Missing

The English language invents a new word every 98 seconds. That has absolutely nothing to do with Missing but I had to mention it as it is such an amazing fact. I came across it when I was looking for words that had gone out of fashion. But that was a false start as I then found a word that had never been part of the English language but should be. So I thought it might be a good idea to check if there are any other foreign words that we may be missing that would be useful to introduce into our language. The original word was:

Tsundoku (Japanese)
A word that describes the act of buying multiple new books, letting them pile up and never reading them. Why haven’t we got this? And there should be a word for half read them.

And then I found the following:

Verschlimmbessern (vb, German)
Have you ever tried to fix something, but only made it worse? I’m looking at a cardigan that just needed a small hole sewing. Very useful word.

Sobremesa (Spanish)
The time spent at a dinner table chatting or drinking coffee after the meal is finished and the food is gone. That last sentence describes activities which are totally alien to me and I don’t understand. So keep that word out.

Backpfeifengesicht (German)
This word essentially translates to the phrase “a face looking for a smack” and relates to my feelings if I’m ever forced into the situation above. This word kept as a reserve. Just in case.

Gigil (Filipino)
Something so adorable or cute that the feeling overwhelms you, usually to the point where you wish to squeeze or hug the cute thing. Include, except for cats.

Iktsuarpok (Inuit)

The anticipation you feel before a guest arrives at your house and you keep going to the window or outside to check that they’ve not arrived yet. The only reason I’d be checking is if they were late. In which case I wouldn’t give a damn. Word not required.

Koi No Yokan (Japanese)
This refers to the feeling or premonition of knowing that, at some point, you are going to fall in love with someone as soon as you have met them. I just look in the mirror so this word is not required.

Cavoli Riscaldati (Italian)
Means to try to fix a broken relationship, and it directly translates to “reheated cabbage”. Change it to broccoli and it’s in.

Razbliuto (Russian)
Describes the sombre, nostalgic feelings of no longer loving someone you once did. Oh yes.

Mencolek (Indonesian)
A singular word to describe tapping someone on the opposite shoulder to trick them. So completely bonkers and useless that it has to be in.

They are just a few of the words gained from Global Language Services and IH World.

As I said earlier when I started this blog on Missing I was looking for words that had been lost from the English language through lack of use. So, not to waste an idea, here is the following poem:

How Much Do I Miss Thee?

How much do you miss me?
Was the question you asked,
teasing from a distance
of phone and sea,
and I almost told you,
but the sound of you
made me change my mind.
For the sound of you,
just wasn’t you
for I only thought of thee,
the loss of thee,
the soft touch of thee,
thine eyes, thy look,
the way that thou caressed
the secret spaces
lovers make their own.
You asked again,
a question for all time,
how much do I miss you?
And I could only answer
as much as I miss thee.

First published in my collection ‘away’ 2010.

Terry Q.